Community transport is flexible transport run by the community, for the community.

We have 2 minibuses that can be hired - a 9 seater and a 15 seater.

When hiring one of our minibuses, you will only need to pay fuel costs.

You will also need a MiDAS (Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme) certificate to drive the 15-seater minibus. For Council employees, this training must be provided by Falkirk Council. External drivers may complete MiDAS training with any approved provider, but Falkirk Council still requires a copy of the certificate.

A Falkirk Council driver is not provided as part of the minibus hire.

We are working on developing an online booking system and it will be available in the next few months.

We have listed the rules for booking the minibus below.

Eligibility

Minibus hire is primarily available to:

• Not for profit organisations, community groups, charities and voluntary sector organisations.
• Public sector partners, subject to additional conditions (noted below).
• Commercial organisations or any organisation that is charging for services are not eligible for minibus hire.

Priority levels

To ensure fair access and support those who rely most on the service, the following priority levels will apply:

Priority 1 – Not for Profit and Community Organisations

These groups will have the highest priority for bookings, including:

• Registered charities
• Community groups
• Voluntary organisations
• Social enterprises operating on a not-for-profit basis

Their activities must directly support community benefit, inclusion, or wellbeing.

Priority 2 – Local Public Sector Partners (with limitations)

Public sector organisations may request hire, but their eligibility is dependent on reasonable evidence that no internal or alternative provision is available.

This includes:

• Council teams
• Schools (including those seeking drivers)
• Colleges and universities
• HSCP and NHS Forth Valley

Priority 3 – National Public Bodies or organisations

These groups will be lower priority because access to transport should be planned and resourced within their own operational or business strategies and budgets. They will only be approved if:

• There is a defined community benefit from use of the minibus
• They demonstrate that internal transport solutions are unavailable, and
• The hire does not prevent access for Priority 1 or 2 users.

Requirement to exhaust internal or alternative options

Before a public sector team or school is approved to hire a minibus:

• They must confirm they have checked for availability through internal fleets, including:
• Council pool vehicles
• School minibus pools
• Departmental transport options
• They must provide brief confirmation of why those options were unavailable or unsuitable.

This ensures that community groups - who do not have equivalent alternatives - remain the primary beneficiaries.

Booking windows and block bookings

• Organisations may block book minibuses for up to 8 weeks at a time on no more than 2 occasions per week over that period. Additional bookings can be requested and may be able to be accommodated if no conflicting bookings exist.
• Requests that extend beyond 8 weeks must be reviewed and approved by administrators to ensure fair access.
• Long term or repeated block bookings by a single group may be limited during high demand periods.

Additional general conditions

• All organisations must agree to the hire terms and conditions, including driver requirements, vehicle care, insurance obligations, and return expectations.
• Organisations must ensure their activity aligns with community benefit and appropriate use of Council-supported assets.
• Organisations wishing to make a donation for use of the minibus can do this through Falkirk Councils Community Benefit Fund that is used to support community organisations across the Falkirk area.

For details of community transport operators in Scotland, please see the Community Transport Association's website.

For information and advice about setting up a community transport scheme, please contact the Community Transport Association.

Information about Section 19 and Section 22 permits can be found on the Voluntary Sector Transport Licence page.